Towards a More Period Text
A few constructive
ramblings First off, indulge me
in a pet peeve. Please don't call them 'scrolls'. A
scroll is wound up around a stick, a long piece of
parchment that is read by unrolling as you go
along. What we as scribes in the SCA make are not,
for the most part, scrolls. What we make are
documents, the equivalent of legal documents for
the period. These pieces grant precedence and
'power' to the recipient, and as such are the
closest thing we get to 'legal' documents for the
Society. That should be borne in mind when writing
any award text. Listening to the
medieval writer One of the most
important things you can do if you want to write a
more period document text is to read the originals.
As mentioned above the lack of real exemplars to
work from makes it necessary to develop an ear for
the style and phrasing of the medieval author, so
as to be able to recreate that flow and style in
your work. Greetings Almost every document
in period, from charters to laws to personal
letters opens with a statement of greetings. At the
very least this will state who it is from, and will
often say to whom they are writing (either a
general 'all and sundry' or a specific list), and,
on more official documents contain some bits of
pretension and bombast, listings of titles, or
delivering the opening salvo of a series of
insults, such as the letter from Edward III to
Philippe 'who calls himself King of
France
) From the Donation
of Constantine (750?) In the name of the
sacred and indivisible Trinity of Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. The emperor in Christ Jesus, on member
of the Holy Trinity, our Savior and our Lord God,
Caesar Flavius Constantine, faithful, gentle,
supreme, beneficent, lord of the Alemannians,
Goths, Sarmatians, Germans, Britans, Huns, pious,
fortunate, victorious, triumphant and always
august, wishes grace, peace, love joy,
long-suffering and mercy from omnipotent God the
Father, His son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit
to the most holy and blessed father of fathers
Sylvester, bishop of the city of Rome and pope, and
to all his successors who shall ever sit on the
seat of St. Peter until the end of time, and to all
the most reverend and righteous catholic bishops in
the world, who are subject to the sacrosanct Roman
church, now and for all times to come because of
this our imperial constitution. From a charter
granted to the City of York by Henry II
(1100's) Henry, King of
England, Duke of Normandy and Aquitane, and Count
of Anjou, To his Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots,
Earls, Barons, Justiciaries, Sheriffs, Ministers
and all of his faithful subjects of England and
Normandy, Greeting. From the letter of
Honorius III confirming the Dominican
Order Honorius, bishop,
servant of the servants of God, to the beloved sons
Dominic, prior of St. Romanus in Toulouse, and his
brethren, both present and future, professed in the
regular life. In perpetuum. From the Royal
Privilege for the University of Paris
(1200) In the name of the
sacred and indivisible Trinity, amen. Philip, by
the grace of God, king of the French. From the Papal Bull
Parens Scientiarum 1231 Gregory, the bishop,
servant of the servants of God, to his beloved
sons, all the masters and students at Paris -
greeting and apostolic benediction. From the Statutes
ordained by Richard of Gloucester for the College
of Middleham Richard, Duke of
Gloucester great Chamberlain, Constable and Admiral
of England, Lord of Glamorgan, Morgannok,
Bergevenny, Richmond and Middelham, to all
Christian people to whom these presents shall come,
greeting in our Lord everlasting. Pope Gregory II
Commends Bishop Boniface to the Christians Of
Germany (1 December 722) Bishop Gregory,
servant of the servants of God, to all the very
reverend and holy brethren, fellow-bishops,
religious priests and deacons, dukes, provosts,
counts and all Christian men who fear
God. From a grant of
arms of Edward VI Edward the sixth by
the grace of God king of England, France &
Ireland defender of the faith and in land of
England & Ireland the supreme head, To all
& singular Nobles, gentlemen, kings of arms
heralds & other officers of arms unto whom
these our l'res patent shall come
greeting. From a confirmation
of charters of 1297 Edward, by the grace
of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke
of Aquitaine, to all those that these present
letters shall hear or see, greeting. Peace of the Land
Established by Frederick Barbarossa Between 1152
and 1157 A.D. Frederick by the grace
of God emperor of the Romans, always august, to the
bishops, dukes, counts, margraves and all to whom
these letters shall come: sends his favour, peace,
and love. From the Letters of
St. Dominic Brother Dominic, Canon
of Osma, Humble Minister of Preaching, Sends
Greetings and Sincere Charity in the Lord to All of
His Faithful to Whom This Letter Comes, Texts Here are a few full
texts, included to get a general feel for the style
and flow of a medieval document. Take a deep breath
and read them aloud, try and trace the patterns of
the phrasing and sentence structure. The Pope grants
Henry II the right to conquer Ireland
(1155) Adrian, bishop and
servant of the servants of God, to the most dear
son in Christ, the illustrious king of England,
greeting, health, and apostolical benediction: Thy
greatness, as is becoming a Catholic prince, is
laudably and successfully employed in thought and
intention, to propagate a glorious name upon earth,
and lay up in heaven the reward of a happy
eternity, by extending the boundaries of the
church, and making known to nations which are
uninstructed, and still ignorant of the Christian
faith, its truths and doctrine, by rooting up the
seeds of vice from the land of the Lord and to
perform this more efficaciously, thou seekest the
counsel and protection of the Apostolical See, in
which undertaking, the more exalted thy design will
be, united with prudence, the more propitious, we
trust, will be thy progress under a benign
Providence, since a happy issue and end are always
the result of what has been undertaken from an
ardour of faith, and a love of religion. It is not,
indeed, to be doubted, that the kingdom of Ireland,
and every island upon which Christ the sun of
justice hath shone, and which has received the
principles of the Christian faith, belong of right
to St. Peter and to the holy Roman church (which
they majesty likewise admits), from whence we the
more fully implant in them the seed of faith, that
seed which is acceptable to God, and to which we,
after a minute investigation, consider that a
conformity should be required by us the more
rigidly. Thou, dearest son in Christ, hast likewise
signified to us, that for the purpose of subjecting
the people of Ireland to laws, and eradicating vice
from among them, thou art desirous of entering that
island; and also for paying for each house an
annual tribute of one penny to St. Peter; and of
preserving the privileges of the churches pure and
undefiled. We, therefore, with approving and
favourable views commend thy pious and laudable
desire, and to aid thy undertaking, we give to thy
petition our grateful and willing consent, that for
the extending the boundaries of the church, and
restraining the prevalence of vice, the improvement
of morals, the implanting of virtue, the
propagation of the Christian religion, thou enter
that island, and pursue those things which shall
tend to the honour of God, and salvation of his
people; and that they may receive thee with honour,
and revere thee as their lord; the privilege of
their churches continuing pure and unrestrained,
and the annual tribute of one penny from each house
remaining secure to St. Peter and the holy Roman
Church. If thou therefore deem what thou hast
projected in mind, possible to be completed, study
to instill good morals into that people, and act so
that thou thyself, and such persons as thou will
judge competent from their faith, words, and
actions, to be instrumental in advancing the honour
of the Irish church, propagate and promote
religion, and the faith of Christ, to advance
thereby the honour of God, and salvation of souls,
that thou mayest merit an everlasting reward of
happiness hereafter, and establish on earth a name
of glory, which shall last for ages to
come. The charter
establishing the Duchy of Austria
(1156) In the name of the
holy and indivisible Trinity. Frederick, by favour
of the divine mercy, august emperor of the Romans.
Although a transfer of property may remain valid
from the actual act of performing such transfer,
and those things which are lawfully possessed can
not be wrested away by any act of force: it is,
however, the duty of our imperial authority to
intervene lest there can be any doubt of the
transaction. Be it known, therefore, to the present
age and to future generations of our subjects, that
we, aided by the grace of Him who sent peace for
men from Heaven to earth, have, in the general
court of Regensburg which was held on the nativity
of St. Mary the Virgin, in the presence of many of
the clergy and the catholic princes, terminated the
struggle and controversy concerning the duchy of
Bavaria, which has long been carried on between our
most beloved uncle, Henry duke of Austria, and our
most dear nephew, Henry duke of Saxony. And it has
been done in this way: that the duke of Austria has
resigned to us the duchy of Bavaria, which we have
straightway granted as a fief to the duke of
Saxony. But the duke of Bavaria has resigned to us
the march of Austria, with all its jurisdictions
and with all the fiefs which the former margrave
Leopold held from the duchy of Bavaria. Moreover,
lest by this act the honour and glory of our most
beloved uncle may seem in any way to be
diminished,-by the counsel and judgment of the
princes, Vladislav, the illustrious duke of
Bohemia, proclaiming the decision, and all the
princes approving,-we have changed the march of
Austria into a duchy, and have granted that duchy
with all its jurisdictions to our aforesaid uncle
Henry and his most noble wife Theodora as a fief;
decreeing by a perpetual law that they and their
children alike, whether sons or daughters, shall,
by hereditary right, hold and possess that same
duchy of Austria from the empire. But if the
aforesaid duke of Austria, our uncle, and his wife
should die without children, they shall have the
privilege of leaving that duchy to whomever they
wish. We decree, further, that no person, small or
great, may presume to exercise any jurisdiction in
the governing of that duchy without the consent or
permission of the duke. The duke of Austria,
moreover, shall not owe any other service to the
empire from his duchy, except that, when he is
summoned, he shall come to the courts which the
emperor shall announce in Bavaria. And he shall be
bound to go on no military expeclition, unless the
emperor ordain one against the countries or
provinces adjoining Austria. For the rest, in order
that this our imperial decree may, for all ages,
remain valid and unshaken, we have ordered the
present charter to be written and to be sealed with
the impress of our seal, suitable witnesses to be
called in whose names are as follows: Pilgrim,
patriarch of Aquileija, etc. etc. Statute of Edward I
Concerning the Buying and Selling of Land (Quia
Emptores); 1290. Forasmuch as
purchasers of lands and tenements of the fees of
magnates and others, have many times previously
entered into their fees to the prejudice of the
same (lords) since to them (the purchasers) the
free tenants of these same magnates and others have
sold their lands and tenements to be held in fee
for themselves and their heirs from the
subinfeudators and not from the lords in chief of
the fees, whereby the same lords in chief have
often lost the escheats, marriages and wardships of
lands and tenements belonging to their fees, which
thing indeed seemed very hard and extreme to the
magnates and other lords, and moreover, in this
case, manifest disinheritance; the lord king in his
parliament at Westminster after Easter in the 18th
year of his reign, viz., in the Quinzime of St.
John the Baptist, at the instance of his magnates,
did grant, provide and decree that henceforth it
shall be lawful for any free man to sell at will
his lands or tenements or a part of them; in such
manner, however, that the infeudated person shall
hold that land or tenement from the same lord in
chief and by the same services and customs by which
his infeudator previously held them. And if he
shall have sold to any one any part of those his
lands or tenements, the infeudated person shall
hold that (part) directly of the lord in chief, and
shall straightway be charged with as much service
as pertains or ought to pertain to that lord for
that parcel, according to the quantity of the land
or tenement sold; and so in this case there shall
fall away from the lord in chief that part of the
service which is to be performed by the hand of the
infeudator, from the time when the infeudated
person ought to be attendant and answerable to that
same lord in chief, according to the quantity of
the land or tenement sold, for that parcel of
service thus due. And it must be known that by the
said sales or purchases of lands or tenements, or
any part of them, those lands or tenements in part
or in whole, may not come into mortmain, by art or
by wile, contrary to the statute recently issued on
this point. And it is to be known that that statute
concerning lands sold holds good only for those
holding in fee simple, etc.; and that it extends to
future time; and it shall begin to take effect at
the feast of St. Andrew next coming. A Letter from the
Devil to John the Fearless, Duke of
Burgundy Lucifer, emperor of
the deep Acheron, king of Hell, duke of Erebus
Chaos, prince of the Shadows, marquis of and of
Pluto, count of Gehanna, master, regent, guardian
and governor of all the devils in hell and of all
those mortal men alive in the world who prefer to
oppose the will and commandment of our adversary
Jesus Christ, to our dearest and well beloved
lieutenant and protector-general in the West, John
of Burgundy.... We pray and request, indeed we
order and command, you to persevere, as you have
begun, in obeying and carrying out the wishes of
Satan. Ever since you were old enough to carry arms
we have given - and we do give you by these
presents - full power and irrevocable authority,
and we are very well informed of your evil
enterprises, which we shall help you to accomplish.
Rest assured that we shall keep the promises that
we have made to you... through the... grand proctor
of our court, Satan, inviolably and without fault.
Furthermore we wish you to know that our court is
completely devoid of devils in our service, they
having all entered the hearts of your trusted
people, accomplices and allies... It is true that
the greatest joy and pleasure we can have is in the
destruction... of churches, cathedrals... abbeys,
monasteries, chapels, oratories and all buildings
dedicated to our adversary Jesus Christ, and you
deserve praise for the good start you have mead
with this. After you have carried out our orders in
the area of our commission... we shall help you to
cross the sea... and then we shall cause you to be
crowned king of Turkey, emperor of
Constantinople... king of Jerusalem, Babylon and
Carthage and of several other kingdoms, both
Christian and pagan... In witness whereof we have
sealed these presents with our very horrible
signet, present several troops of devils, in our
most dismal consistory, in the year of our doleful
reign six thousand, six hundred and
six." John of Toul's
Homage to the Count of Champagne - 13th Century
I, John of Toul, make
known that I am the liege man of the lady Beatrice,
countess of Troyes, and of her son, Theobald, count
of Champagne, against every creature, living or
dead, saving my allegiance to lord Enjorand of
Coucy, lord John of Arcis, and the count of
Grandpré. If it should happen that the count
of Grandpré should be at war with the
countess and count of Champagne on his own quarrel,
I will aid the count of Grandpré in my own
person, and will send to the count and the countess
of Champagne the knights whose service I owe to
them for the fief which I hold of them. But if the
count of Grandpré shall make war on the
countess and the count of Champagne on behalf of
his friends and not in his own quarrel, I will aid
in my own person the countess and count of
Champagne, and will send one knight to the count of
Grandpré for the service which I owe him for
the fief which I hold of him, but I will not go
myself into the territory of the count of
Grandpré to make war on him. Closings and
Dates Notes on
Dates: There is a blindingly
complex array of dating options and specialized
calendar terminology to choose from. Note that the
more important the date was regarded to be the more
it would be specified to fix it properly. Thus on a
simple document I might say done on the feast of
St. Bobo the Magnificent, Anno Sociatatis 36, on a
major scroll I might say Done on the Nones of
August, being the feast of St. Bobo the
Magnificent, this Thursday in the Octave of the
Feast of all Cats, Anno Sociatatis 36, being the
ninth year of the Indiction, and the two thousand
and second year of the Incarnation. From the Donation
of Constantine Given at Rome, on the
third day before the Kalends of April, in the
fourth counsulship of our master the august Flavius
Constantine, and in that of Gallicanus, both very
illustrious men From three disputes
involving the Cathedral Chapter of Notre-Dame of
Chartres, 1215-1224 As memory of this
decision, we caused the present letters to be
sealed with our seal. Done at Melun, in the year of
the lord 1215, in the month of July. From the Royal
Privilege for the University of Paris
(1200) And that these decrees
may be valid forever we have ordered this document
to be confirmed by the authority of our seal, and
by the character of the Royal name, signed below.
Done near Betisi in the 1200th year of the
incarnation of Our Lord, in the 12th year of our
reign, those being present in our palace whose
names and signs are placed below. From a petition of
the Weavers of Oxford Given under our privy
seal at our manor of Sheene. From a confirmation
of charters of 1297 In witness of which
things we have caused to be made these our letters
patent. Given at Ghent the fifth day of November in
the twenty-fifth year of our reign. From the charter
establishing the Duchy of Austria
(1156) For the rest, in order
that this our imperial decree may, for all ages,
remain valid and unshaken, we have ordered the
present charter to be written and to be sealed with
the impress of our seal, suitable witnesses to be
called in whose names are as follows: Pilgrim,
patriarch of Aquileija, etc. etc. From the Charter of
Gelnhausen And wishing this to
remain valid for them unto all their posterity, we
forbid by an imperial edict that any one, with rash
daring, infringe it or in any way attempt to
violate it; and we validly corroborate this our
decree by the present privilege, signed by the
golden seal of our Highness, the witnesses being
written down who were present at this deed. They
are as follows: etc. etc. From the Statute of
Mortmain (1279) And therefore we
command you to cause the aforesaid statute to be
read before you, and from henceforth to be firmly
kept and observed. Witness myself at Westminster,
the 15th day of November, the 7th year of our
reign. From the Treaty at
Aix Between Louis II and Charles the Bald
Concerning the Division of the Kingdom of Lothar II
A.D. 870. In the year of the
Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ 870, on the
day before the Nones of March, in the 32nd year of
the most glorious king Charles, in the palace at
Aix, this agreement was made between him and his
brother king Louis. Emulating
the medieval writer Basic
concepts So, now that you're
read some period examples, and sharpened up both
your wits and your pen, what do you do next? Personal
Examples These are, for the
most part, peerage documents, as that's where I
usually pull out all the stops. Laurel for Roderic
of Basing This was constructed
by myself and Mistress Eloise of Coulter out of two
separate documents, one a grant of arms from about
the same period as Master Roderic's persona, and
another having to do with, as I recall, the
creation of someone as Earl Marshal of England. Lucan the Fifth, by
grace of God king of the East, defender of the
faith and hammer of the Mid-Realm, in earth of the
East the supreme head, and likewise Marike II by
grace our Queen, to all and singular nobles,
gentlemen, kings of arms, heralds and other
officers of arms unto whom these our letters patent
shall come, greetings. Forasmuch as anciently and
from the beginning it hath been devised and
ordained that the valiant and virtuous acts of
excellent persons should be notoriously commended
to the world with sundry monuments and remembrances
of their good desserts, among the which one of the
chiefest and most visual hath been the bearing of
signs and tokens in shields called arms, the which
are none other things than evidences and
demonstrations of prowess and valor diversely
distributed according to the qualities and deserts
of the persons, that such signs and tokens of the
diligent, pithful and courageous might appear
before the negligent coward and ignorant subjects
and be an efficient cause to move, stir and kindle
the hearts of me to the imitation of virtue and
nobleness. We, not minding the derogation or taking
away of any part of the authority of so ancient an
order, but rather tending the maintenance thereof
to the intent, that such that have done commendable
service to their prince and country, either in war
or in peace, may receive due honor in their lives,
we are contented and pleased upon consideration of
our right trusty and well beloved Roderic Hawkins
of Basing, Captain of Artillery. And so is he
called to the place of honor, for his worthy and
commendable scholarship, intending to have the same
notified by signs and tokens of nobility set forth
in due order. And therefore by the douce and good
report of our right trusty and entirely beloved
councilors, advisors and peers of the realm of the
East, and of the order of the Laurel, we have
given, granted, confirmed ratified and established
and by these presents do give, grant, confirm,
ratify and establish unto our said right trusty and
well beloved Roderic Hawkins of Basing, Captain of
Artillery these same signs and tokens in shields
called arms, with their appurtenances which he
heretofore had received of one of our kings of arms
in grant and do thus raise said same to the Office,
Name, Style, State, Authority, Jurisdiction,
Dignity and Honor of a companion of our Order of
the Laurel, his arms and crest in manner as to
hereafter follows, that is to say, Azure, a fess
gules fimbriated or, and in canton a cross crosslet
of the third. And to the crest upon the helm a
wolfs head sable swallowing a child, upon a wreath
argent and azure, mantled of the same. Which arms
and crest, in consideration aforesaid , we have
given, granted, confirmed ratified and established
unto and for the said Roderic Hawkins of Basing,
Captain of Artillery the arms and crest aforesaid,
with the appurtenances, to use, bear, and show
forevermore in shield, coat armor or otherwise, and
therein to be invested, at his liberty and
pleasure, without any impediment, let or
interruption. In witness whereof we have caused
these our letters to be made patent, witness
ourselves at Windsor, the 8th day of April, the
34th Anno Sociatatis. Kings Order of
Excellence for Rhys of Harlech The greeting for this
was inspired by parts of the one in the Donation of
Constantine, and the body of the text was made up
whole cloth in a period style. I am particularly
pleased with the fact that it describes what the
recipient is getting it for (period and persona
accuracy) without actually saying that. Lucan, by right of
arms overlord of Ruantallen, Beyond the Mountains,
Bridge, Carolingia, Dragonship Haven, Bhakail,
Carillion, Ostgardr, Stonemarche, Bergental,
Concordia, An Dubhaigeain and Settmour Swamp,
gracious and beneficent, Hammer of the Mid-Realm
and Sovereign King of the East, unto any and all
persons to whom these presents do or may come,
greetings. For a kingdom to maintain such might as
has always been the case in this ancient realm of
the East it is necessary for the warriors of the
realm to constantly be on their guard, forever
vigilant, and mindful of their skills. To this end
the art of the tourney has always been much
respected within our realm, practiced with both
fervor and zeal and those who promote it and excel
in its grace given all due praise and respect. We
would by these letters give high honor one who has
done great and mighty works in this art, both in
his noteworthy skill and for his deep and detailed
researches into the most ancient forms, for these
matters are held dear to our heart and it well
pleases us that our people hold them in like
regard. Therefore for these skills and knowledges,
as well as in recognition of the most noble and
gracious manner in which he maintains himself and
his house, and of the high standard which he keeps
for himself and presents to this our realm, we
would honor the right honorable and most worthy
Rhys of Harlech as a great and true benefactor of
our realm. Thus do we by our sovereign right and
with this solemn pageantry praise him with great
praise, and create him a Companion of our Kings
Order of Excellence, from this day forward, with
all the rights responsibilities, duties and
privileges attendant to that most estimable order.
Done by this our Sign-Manual, on this 5th day of
April, A.S. XXXI, in our fair Barony of
Bergental. Pelican for
Gwendolyn of Basing The first part of this
is of my own making, but the second part (from the
Be it known
) owes a great deal to the
Donation of Constantine and several others. By the King, Darius of
the East, and Roxanne, his queen. "But thou hast
fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose,
faith, longsuffering, charity, patience." Thus it
is written in the book of Timothy, second chapter,
10th verse and here before you is one who has taken
those words to heart. From the time when mighty
Frederick and his queen Nicorlyn ruled these lands
with wise judgment she has been a steadfast and
steady servant of the crown of the East, ever
willing to take to any task that might need doing.
Long did she serve with wise council and steady
hand as seneschal of the Barony of Thescorre, and
further as chamberlain of the Barony of Dragonship
Haven. She has traveled both the length and breadth
of the realm of the East, from the northern reaches
to the far south, ever with such patience as would
best become a saint, to administer such tourneys,
melees, behouards and other combats as has made the
East a great realm of war. Long, well and wisely
was she Mistress of Lists for the vast lands of
Aethelmark, serving all those who were the princes
of that land with grace and fortitude in all
corners of that demesne, and further has she been a
stalwart and constant aide and support to the
Mistress of Lists in this realm of the East, always
a calming presence and soothing voice in the midst
of the chaos of tourney and war, and an invaluable
officer of that worthies staff. None may doubt, nor
even claim with any pretense of truth, that her
works have been many, and her labors great, her
patience inexhaustible and her calm indefatigable.
Idleness is banished from her presence as if barred
by iron, and sloth put full to flight as if pursued
by mighty armies, both they and all other like
vices of the indolent fearing the utter
vanquishment that would be theirs should they
attempt to remain, for such is her tireless effort
and ceaseless labor that all must acknowledge it,
and stand in all due awe, reverence and wonderment
in the shadow of her most perfect and praiseworthy
example. Be it known, therefore, to the present age
and to future generations of our subjects that we,
aided by the advice and assent of all the members
of our right worthy and laudable Order of the
Pelican, in the general court of the East at
Pennsic on the nativity of the Feast of St Arnulf,
the day following the ides of August, do herewith
grant, provide and decree that Gwendolyn of Basing
shall, with all august ceremony and due deference,
be raised to the estate, title and position of a
Peer of the Realm, and that she further be
inducted, included and forever counted amongst the
right worthy and well beloved companions of the
Order of the Pelican, that she shall have the same
advantage, distinction, power and excellence by the
glory of which that most illustrious order is
adorned, along with all those rights, privileges,
responsibilities and duties, singular and sundry,
that are attached thereto. We also grant, provide
and decree that she shall bear at her will the
badge of the order in standards, banners, and
various other ornaments. Further do we grant
provide and decree that she shall, forever and in
perpetuity be the sole bearer of these arms: Or, on
a bend between two trefoils in fess and another
azure a roach fish argent by our letters patent.
This we command to be known to all the corners of
our realm, and wishing this to remain valid for her
unto all her posterity, we forbid by a royal edict
that anyone, with rash daring, infringe it or in
any way attempt to violate it, and command that all
succeeding kings, all nobles, barons, and all
people in the whole world who are now, ever were or
ever shall be subject to our rule are forbidden to
oppose destroy or diminish in any way this
privilege which, through out royal sanction has
been granted to Gwendolyn of Basing, and we validly
corroborate this our decree of the present
privilege, signed by the golden seal of our
Majesty, the witnesses being written down who were
present at this deed. County for Darius
Serpentis This was done using a
block copy method, most of it being lifted from
Eusubius of Cesearia's 'Life of Constantine'. Some
parts were edited; some rearranged, but for the
most part I didn't write this so much as edit it
into existence. At the passing of
Lucan from the throne of the East, then was Darius
invested with the purple, and all the nations also
under his dominion were filled with joy and
inexpressible gladness at not being even for a
moment deprived of the benefits of a well-ordered
government, and seemed to enjoy purer rays of
light, and to be born again into a fresh and new
life. All the nations, too, as far as the limit of
the western ocean, being set free from the
calamities which had heretofore beset them, and
gladdened by joyous festivals, ceased not to praise
him as the victorious and the common benefactor:
all, indeed, with one voice and one mouth, declared
that Darius had appeared as a general blessing to
mankind. And in his munificence he bestowed favors
on the peoples and nations of his empire. So that
the inhabitants of all regions, who had heard of
the privileges experienced in all portions of the
empire, and had blessed the fortunate recipients of
them, and longed for the enjoyment of a similar lot
for themselves, now with one consent proclaimed
their own happiness, when they saw themselves in
possession of all these blessings; and confessed
that the appearance of such a monarch to the human
race was indeed a marvelous event, and such as the
world's history had never yet recorded. Such were
their sentiments. And instructing his army in the
great and valiant habits of victory he carried his
arms as far as Trimaris, and the nations that dwell
in the very bosom of the Western ocean. He subdued
likewise the Atlantians, and the Tuchux, though
they were far distant, and divided into numberless
diverse and barbarous tribes. He even pushed his
conquests to the Midrealm, through Aethelmarc. In
short, diffusing the effulgence of his conquering
hand to the ends of the whole world, even to the
most distant nations dwelling on the extreme
circumference of the inhabited earth, he received
the submission of all the rulers, governors, and
satraps of barbarous nations, who cheerfully
welcomed and saluted him, sending embassies and
presents, and setting the highest value on his
acquaintance and friendship and Darius alone of all
emperors was acknowledged and celebrated by all.
And there on the field of his triumphant conquests
at Pennsic XXXI the whole body of the kingdom, and
others of rank and distinction in the realm, along
with the whole Eastern populace, their countenances
expressive of the gladness of their hearts,
received him with acclamations and abounding joy;
men, women, and children, with countless multitudes
of servants, greeting him as deliverer, preserver,
and benefactor, with incessant shouts, they
hastened at once to hail their sovereign by the
titles of Imperial and Worshipful Augustus, with
joyful shouts. And then the armies of the realm and
all the people therein did raise many and great
cries, and proclaimed him Imperator. Standing, as
he did, alone among them, was he accounted worthy
of such honors as none can say have been attained
to by any other; so that no one, whether Greek or
barbarian, nay, of the ancient Romans themselves,
has ever been presented to us as worthy of
comparison with him. In short, as the sun, when he
rises upon the earth, liberally imparts his rays of
light to all, so did Darius, proceeding at early
dawn from the imperial palace, and rising as it
were with the heavenly luminary, impart the rays of
his own beneficence to all who came into his
presence. It was scarcely possible to be near him
without receiving some benefit, nor did it ever
happen that any who had expected to obtain his
assistance were disappointed in their hope. And so
when it came his time to leave the throne in
accordance with those ancient rights of the East
thus spoke Andraes and Isabella, King and Queen of
this mighty realm to proclaim their will to the
East with great boldness of testimony, saying that
one who had served so well, so nobly and so
graciously upon that throne of the East could not
thus pass from it without due and suitable honors
made to him, and therefore upon the day of their
second ascendance to the throne of the East they
did cause it to be that Darius Aeurelius Serpentis
was proclaimed Count and Proconsul, and moreover,
by loud proclamation and monumental inscriptions
make known to all men the salutary action, setting
up this great trophy of honor and expressly cause
it to be engraved in indelible characters, that he
was the safeguard of the Eastern people and of the
entire realm. Places to look for
exemplars Print
resources There are occasionally
books put out with 'important' documents from
history, as study guides for students, which are
pretty good for going through. A couple that I have
are: On-line
resources Much of what's in this
handout came from these sites. This is by no means
a comprehensive list, just some of my favorites,
that I find the most useful. Home | Guildhall | Cloisters | Scriptorium | Model Book | Library | Lectern | Vault | Almoner | Owlery |